Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1887-04-09
The INCEPTION OF TIE VtG.LAN-
TGSo MONTANA.

ATrue Account, Hitherto Unpublished.
During the latter part Of November or
the first part Of December, 1863, was iy-
ing with my partner, Joseph Bell, in the
town Of Nevada, following the occupation
of q miner. About the first Of December,
VIM. Clark came from Summit, at the
head of Alder Guich, to claim and
asked me to accompany him TO the Stink
ing Water and help him hunt up Nicholas
Debolt, whom he had sent to Long Johns
ranch, on the Sinking Water for a span of
mules-stating that he was afraid the road
agents had got him. He said he had rid
den Black Bess,-a mule which | had rid
den from California Gulch in Colorado to
Alder Gulch. She was an animal that |
thought a great deal Of, as she had saved
my life in Colorado from Mexican
desperadoes, and If there is such a place
As a mule heaven | know she got there.
She was 4 splendid saddle animal and the
road agents would not hesitate to kill a
man to secure her.
Clark also went to =. Beidler and asked
him to 90 along, but \. was unable to 20
and stated az his opinion that Nick had
been foully dealt with. | asked Clark to
come 70 the cabin and during dinner we
would consider what was best to be done.
| had been il his employ nearly twoyears
III Colorado, packing to different mining
camps and a portion Of the time merchan-
diSing. He was a man whom | esteemed
very highly, and ] could not refuse to ac-
company him in search OF poor Nick, who
was efer an honest, upright and faithful
man, although I would rather have given
$500 than to have gone. After dinner l
prepared myself with a saddle horse and
Il siX-shooter, and proposed to Clark that
we should take a couple of shot guns but
he said they would be unnecessary as he
had a ~six-shooter. which he thought was
sufficient.
Nothing Of importance transpired until
We reached Bob Dempsey'sranch ,on Stink
ing Water, where we dismounted and went
in. Clark inquired Of Dempsey if he had
seen Nick, describing him and telling his
errand. Dempsey said he had seen moth
ing OF him, and told us the place where
the mules We're. kept was three or four
miles further down the creek. There
were several men and freight teams at
Dempsey's and ona Of the party, a good
looking young man, well dressed, stepped
HIP 10 CLARK an5 said: Don't you think
that Dutel3n4n Of yours has skipped to
Salt Lake and taken the mules with
hing
G-ark's eyes flashed fire (for it was none
other thal the renowned road agent,
George ives, WHO had thus accused Nick
o5 being dishonest, and he replied: "That
Dese@maa II 40 honest man and some Of
WITH I'D road agents have killed him,
ana ! viii avenge him"
ives started To draw his six-shooter and
Clark wasn't any behind him, when
NL-skey Bill, one Of Ives confederates,
stepped between them and stopped. the
row. Clark knew they were both road
agents, and he would have shot had ] not
caught his six-shaoter as he drew it.
Aswe started for Long Johns ranch,
Ives and whiskey Bill mounted their
horses and went in the same direction.
About two and half miles down the creek
the trail followed close to the bank. Clark
was riding ahead Of me, a few feet in ad-
vance. when | noticed something red and
called to Clark to stop. On investigation
it proved to be a spot Of blood about the
size of half a dollar. 1t had showed, and
the wind blowing the snow of the ice, We
could discover no tracks that would lead
to poor Nick, whose life blood we had
seen on the ice, although he lay in the
cold embrace Of death not q hundred yards
distant.
After genomting, two men rode across
our trail, about three hundred yards in ad-
vance. / told Clark we had better keep
to the right and ont Of range Of their guns
" Ives and Whisky Bill had gone to
Long Johns after their short Slot guns,
intending to Kill as il we found Nick.
On reaching the ranch Clark went into
the Wicky-up Of Indian tepee and asked
for Geo. Hllderman. A tall, gaunt and
awkward human being arose from 4 pile
Of blankets and shot guns and said, that
ii my name" Clark then told him he was
the owner Of q span Of mules, which lie
(ITilderman) was working. He replied
that a Dutchman came to get them about